Gardens to visit in spring and summer – Chelsea Flower Show

Every year, in May, the grounds of the Royal Hospital in Chelsea, become the incredible combination of show gardens, inspirational small gardens and vibrant horticultural displays that go to make up one of the world’s oldest, and most vibrant, flower shows. Originally called The Royal Horticultural Society's Great Spring Show, the Chelsea Flower Show dates back to 1852 when the show was held in the RHS's gardens in Kensington, London.

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show is the first event of the summer season and as such it sets the latest gardening trends, because it is where plant breeders favourite launch new plants and producers reveal the newest gardening products.

Designers from across the globe apply to create show gardens and, with a limited number of spaces, only very special designs make it to the show – famous designers are desperate to get a place. The smaller gardens, which provide a platform for up and coming designers, are split into four different categories:

1. Stylish and bold chic gardens
2. Courtyard gardens for rural or semi-rural settings
3. Roof gardens
4. City gardens – serving as sanctuaries for urban dwellers

Within the Great Pavilion - the centre-piece of the show – visitors find more than a hundred floral displays. Specialist nurseries and leading exhibitors from all over the world go to great lengths to ensure their blooms are at their very best for show week.

On top of all this, visitors can pick up a wide range of gardening accessories, take lessons, and even visit the Lifelong Learning pavilion to discover how gardening has changed through the ages (that’s the garden’s ages, not the gardener’s, by the way!)

Chelsea Flower show photograph by acme, used under a creative commons attribution licence

 

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